Machine for simultaneously printing words and figures



' Feb. 18, 1930. WARD -1,747,559

MACHINE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY PRINTING WORDS AND F IGURES Original Filed April 10, 1922 2 sheetsgsheet 1 fdh/ara.

Feb. 18, 1930. E. J. WARD 1,747,559

MACHINE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY PRINTING WORDS AND FIGURES Original Filed April 10, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 zvQQQQQ QM 5d h draf Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFECE EDWARD JOHN WARD, OF BISHGPSGATE, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE INVIC'IA WRITE-R, ING., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAYVARE MAoH mniFoR sIMUL'rANnousLY PRINTING wonns Ann FIGURES Application filed AprilflO, Serial No. 551,439, and in Great Britain November 28, 1921. Renewed October 14, 1927. p

This invention relates to an improved form of that type of machine which is adapted to simultaneously print words and figures denotingthe same amounts and in which depressible keys of diiferent values are employed to control mechanism adapted to turn parallel rollers on which the letters forming the words and the figures used for printing are mounted. V 1

The chief featureof my invention. isv that I employ longitudinal movable bars having racks which actuate the above mentioned mechanism and which bars are normally held against the tension of springs, but are released from the holding means and drawn bytheir springs distances which vary in accordance with the key selected to efiect the release, said bars thereby causing the racks to actuate themechanism and rotate the type 20 carrying rollers'a distance corresponding to the selected keylf V V The invention also includes improved means for actuating thetensand hundreds columns as well as simplified mechanism for repeat printing without resetting the keys and for returning theflsaid bars and releasing the keys at the completion of the required printing of any'sum whether it has been printed onceorrepeatedly. 1.

In my machine I use'a pivoted platen and actuate it by a lever to move it to and from the printing surfaces of the rollers'over which a suitable inking ribbon is arranged; The mechanism actuating the lever and the platen is of simplified form and easily operated.

I will now describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in.

which Fig. 1 may be described as a longitudinal section of one form of the machine and to-Fig. 2 as a plan View, the machine shown being one for printing simultaneously in words and figures money values 1n pounds, shillings and pence.

' In these drawings the frame of the malichine is indicated at 1, the whole case of the machine not being shown for the sake of other in figures. The printing rollers are each divided into a number of separate sec-- tionsas indicated in Fig. 2 in connection with the upper rollers 4;, by the references a, Z), 0, (Z, 6, j", and by the references 9, 'h, j, is, Z, on, for the lower rollers 5. On the section a are provided the words from one to eleven for the pence, on the section b the words from one to nineteen for the shillings, on'the section 0 the words from one to nine and portions of the words from eleven to nineteen, on the section cl the words for the tens of pounds from twenty to ninety and the word and,:portions of the words from ten to nineteen not providedon section cl, on the section 6 the words from one hundred to nine hundred and from one thousand to nine thousand, and on section 7 the words from one thousand to nine thousand. l/Vhen these sections are turned in the manner hereinafter described it will be seen that the sections may beset to any amount for a sum of money from one penny to nine'thousand, nine hundred, ninety-nine pounds, nineteen shillings, eleven pence. p v,

The sections of the roller 5 are much narrower than the sections of the roller tand are preferably arranged towards one side, as

' shown for example by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

On the section 9 are provided the figures O to 11, on the section it the figures O to 19, on the section the figures O to 9, and again from 0 to 9 on the section 70 the figures O, 2 to 9 and an additional 0 and then a series of l ten times, on the section Z the figures O to 9 and again 0 to 977 a c'l 20, 3077) 40,77 50777 60777 70, 80, and 90, and on the section m the figures l to 9 and again 1 to 9. 7 These sections are adapted to be turned in synchro nism with the sections of the roller l so that the words and ligures are set simultaneously.

In order that the marking of the sections for the units and tens of pounds may be fully understood the following is given as an ex ample of a convenient arrangement in which the words and figures may be provided on sections 0, (Z, j, 7c.

Section d Section 0 Section k Section j AND XXXXXX O x NINETY NINE 9 9 El GHTY EIGHT 8 8 SEVENTY SEVEN 7 7 SIXTY SIX 6 6 FIFTY FTVE 5 5 FORTY FOUR 4 i THIRTY THREE 3 3 TWENTY TYVO 2 2 XXXXXXX ONE x 1 XXXXXXX xxxxx' 0 O TEN XXXXX 1 O ELE VENXX 1 1 TlVE LVE 1 2 TI-IIR TEEN 1 3 FOUR TEEN 1 4 FIF TEEN 1 5 SIX TEEN 1 6 SEVEN TEEN 1 7 EIGHT TEEN 1 8 NINE TEEN 1 9 Between the sections 9 and 7L and 7t and j free spaces are left which are preferably lilled by distance sections 3 and e, which may he left plain, or if desired may be provided with full stops or or any other suitable sign to form a division in the figure amount between the pounds, shillings and pence.

The separate sections are mounted on eoncentric sleeves (5, freely rotatable on the shafts 2, 3, and are provided at their outer ends with toothed wheels 7. The toothed wheels '4' of both rollers are simultaneously an d equally rotated by toothed wheels 8, ge ring with toothed wheels 9, driven by toothed wheels 10. The toothed wheels 10 are fixed to sleeves 11 concentrically mounted on a shaft 12. To the inner ends of the sleeves 11 are fixed toothed wheels 13 adapted to be rotated by racks 1 1 forming the continuation of control bars 15.

It will be seen that there is a separate control bar 15 under each set of. keys 16 and one of these bars and its control by a set of keys for units will now be described in detail. The bars 15 is preferably hinged to the rack 14 at 17, so that while the rack is only capable of sliding movement, the bar may both slide horizontally and be moved vertically. The rack lt is provided with a downwardly projecting arm 18 to which is attached a spring 19 normally tending to pull the bar and rack inwardly. The bar 15 is held in its normal horizontal position by a leaf spring 20, and

near its forward end is provided with a step or stop 21 normally engaging with the front plate 22 of the frame so as to prevent the spring 19 from pulling the bar 15 inwardly until the latter is released as hereinafter described.

Each of the keys 16 is supported by a light spring 23 and each key 16 is adapted when pressed down to depress the bar 15 so as to free the step 21 from the front plate 22 and allow the spring 19 to pull the bar inwardly and in doing so cause the rack 14 to rotate its corresponding wheels 13, 10, 9, 8, 7, and thus the corresponding sections of the rollers 1 anl 5. The bar 15 is provided with lateral projections or stops at, 0, p, (1, r, s, t, a, Q), 10, :12 appropriately arranged so as to contact with the foot of the correspondingly lettered keys which have been depressed, it being understood that the positioning of these stops is such that the bar 15 and rack 1 1 will be allowed to move a distance which will turn the rollers l, 5 to the value of the operated key. The projections 91 00 may be all arranged on one side of the bar 15 or they may be arranged alternately on opposite sides, the keys 16 being suitably shaped at their lower ends so that they will project into the path of their corresponding projection when depressed. It has, however, been found desirable to arrange t e stops alternately on opposite sides of the control bar, some of the project-ions being arranged near the upper edge of the control bar and others near the bottom edge thereof, whilst the lower ends of the keys project down varying distances. Vith such an arrangement there is no likelihood of a wrong stop of the control bar coming into contact with the lower end of the key 16 which has been depressed, and thus preventing the required movement of the bar to bring the correct portion of the sections of the rollers at, 5 into the operative position. Near their lower ends the keys 16 are provided with shoulders 23 which are adapted to depress the control bar 15 when the key is pressed down.

The control bars 15 in the tens columns of the shillings and pence are not provided with projections similar to those on the units bar, nor are they provided with racks, but are simply hinged to links 56 or connected to springs 19 desired.

The control bars in the units columns of the pounds, shillings and pence, and in the hundreds columns of the pounds are also pro vided with projections 0, p, r, a, t, a, o w a: which are adapted to come mto operation with their correspondingly lettered keys when figures and words between 10 and 19 inclusive are to be printed as will be described later.

The lower ends of the keys 16 also pass through a slotted plate or bar 24: which is capable of sliding movement and is normally held in such a position by a spring 2-5 that the keys can be depressed without obstruc-' 1 tion; The keys 16 have stems of such a shape that when one of the keys is depressed the in its normal position. As will be seen in the drawing, the upper portions 28 of the key stemsare Wider than the lower portions29 plus the depth of thejstop 27 so that when one 7 key has been depressed and moved the plate 24 outwards none of the other keys can be depressed as their projections 27 cannot pass q through the slots in the plate 24.

In the tens columns of the pounds, shillings and pence columns the 1 key is provided with a lateral arm 29 which extends both over the bar 15 for the tens column and the bar 15 for the units column. When it is desired to print numbers and their corresponding words between 10 and 19 the 1 key in the tens column is depressed. By means of the lateral'arm the bars for both 9 the units and tens columnswill be depressed, and as this arm does notco-operate with any stop on either of the two bars 15, these bars will be pulled inwards by their springs 19 um til a second projection 30. onthe bar 15 for 5 the units comes against the front plate 22 of theframe. The bar 15 for theunitsis also provided with a lateral pin 31 so arranged that when the projection comes against the plate 22 a projection 32 on the bar for the tens'will also prevent this latter bar from a The inward,

further inward movement. movement of the two bars thus causes the printing rollers l, 5 -to' be turned through a distance beyond the markings corresponding I to the keys 16. The key for the requiredunit is now depressed andthetwo bars 15 are now pulled inwards simultaneo usly until the corresponding projection 0. 00' comes against the lower end of the depressed key, when the printing rollers will be in the re quired position for printing the requirednumber between 10 and 19. Forexample, if

r the number 16 were required, the key R umn, arranged on two sections, viz', 0, (Z of r the roller 4, and on two sectlons j, is of the.

would be depressed and the bars 15 would be tact with the lower end of this key andthus prevented further movement of the control bars. v p J 7 The words and figures representing ten to nineteen are, in the case of the pounds colroller 5, so that when the 1 key of the tens of pounds column is depressed all the four 3 sections will be rotated to theamount perpulled inwards until the stop 1" came in conmitted bythe projections 30, 32simultaneously.

A similar arrangement is provided for the shillings and pence, but as in these cases the numbers requireddo not go beyond 19 and 11 respectively, all the words and figures are provided on one section only, for the shillings on sections 6 and h and for the pence on sections aand g. In these cases, therefore, only a single key is required'in the tens column. The key 57 in the thousands column for the pounds is similarly constructed to the 1 keys in the tens columns. This key is provided so that whenrit is desired to print an amount in thousands of pounds without any hundreds a blank space is not left in the wording between the thousands and tens. If, therefore, for example, it were desired to rint the amount 1,060 with the corresponding words one thousand sixty pounds the key 57 would be depressed. This would allow the control bars 15 for the hundreds and thousands columns for the pounds to be pulled inwards by the springs 19 as far as allowed by the projections 30,32, then the 1 key in the hundreds column. would be depressed, allowing further inward movement until the stop 20 came into contact withthe lower end of the 1 key, thus preventing further inward movement when the corresponding sections 6, f, Z, m would have been turned into the required position. The keys for the tens and units columns would then be operated in the manner hereinbefore de scribed. The key'& in the tens column of the pounds is used when there are no hundreds or tens (above 19) in a sum such as 1006 or no tens (above 19). as in 106. If one of these sums were required to be printed'the corresponding keys would be, depressed as hereinbefore described to set the drums'in the required positions for one thousand and six or for one hundred and six and the corresponding figures. The key 85 would also be depressed and this wouldcause the section cl to be turned so as to bring the word and intothe printingiposition, whilst the section would have an 0 inthe corresponding position. The words then printed I would be one thousand and six or one hundred and six as required.

If it were desired to print 6182 the bar controlled by key 6 would be depressed previous to the key controlling 1 and key 8 before key 2, so that the bars for 6 and Sin the thousands and tens columns would be disengaged from the pins 31 on bars controlled by the keys for 1 and 2 in the hundreds and units columns respectively.

Should it be desired to print 1628, however, the bars 6 and 8 would obviously have to move a greater distance than the bars for 1 and 2. In this instance the bars for 1 and 2 are operated before the bars for 6 and 8. In

order th at this may be accomplished the pins 31 on the bars for 6 and 8 are caused to run over the rounded ends of the bars for 1 and 2 in their forward position, causing these bars for 1 and 2 to slightly turn on their pivots 17 sufficiently to allow the pins 31 to pass over the rounded ends. The keys are therefore also of sufficient length and the projections on control bars of sufficient depth to enable this movement to take place without affecting the desired co-operation between the keys and the said projections.

The 1 keys in the tens columns and the key 57 are preferably made shorter than the other keys, so that when in the depressed position they will not project into the path of any of the projections or stops provided on the sides of the control bars 15.

The cheques, dividend warrants or the like to be printed upon are placed on a platen 33 pivotally mounted in the frame 1. The platen is connected by means of rods 34 to cranks 35 keyed to a shaft 36 extending across the machine and operated by a handle 37.

In the frame 1 is also mounted a rock shaft 38 011 which are keyed two double armed levers 40, one at each end. To the upper arms of these levers are pivoted pawl members 41 which are adapted to engage with pins 42 at the sides of the platen 33 when this is in the raised chain dotted position in Fig. 1. The lower arms of the levers 40 are connected by springs 43 to the frame 1', these springs tending to pull the levers intothe full line position. The lower ends of the levers 40 are connected together by a rod 58 extending across the machine. The ends of the levers are provided with slots 62 so as to allow the rod 58 to be moved on guides 44 when the levers are rocked from the full line tothe dotted position (Fig. l) and vice versa. rod 58 is adapted to co-operate with the arms 18 and serves to bring all the control bars 15 into their normal position with the projections 21 engaging with the front plate 22.

To the rock shaft 38 is keyed a crank 45- eonnected by a link 46 to a crank 47 keyed to a shaft 48 mounted in suitable hearings on the frame 1. On this shaft 48 are also keyed cranks 59 corresponding in number tothe number of plates 24. The cranks 59 are adapted to co-operate with pins 60 provided on the plates 24 for the purpose of moving the plates 24 outwards against the action of the springs 25 when the pawls 41 are pulled inwards by the platen, when this is'moved into the inoperative inclined position after printing. lVhen the plates 24'are moved outwards in this manner the projections 26 of the keys are released so that the keys can all be returned to their normal raised position by the action of their springs 23.

If ust prior to printing it should be noticed that one or more incorrect keys have been de-' pressed for setting the rollers 4, 5, it would be' This necessary with the mechanism as hereinbefore described to raise the platen in order to disengage the keys and enable the keys to be reset. In order to avoid this difiiculty an auxiliary crank 39 is connected to the shaft 38 by a pin and slot connection 61. By moving this handle in an anticlockwise direction the plates 24 can be moved outwards to release the keys without operating the platen. As the levers 40 will also be moved from their full line to the dotted line position in Fig. 1 the rod 58 acting on the arms 18 will also cause all the control bars 15 to be moved back to their normal positions with their projections 21 engaging the front plate 22,

so that they are thus again in a position to be released when the required keys 16 are depressed.

In order that the platen 33 may be operated without disturbing the setting of the keys, when reprinting, for example, springs 63 with bearing rollers 64 are provided at the sides of the frame, and the pawls 41 are lifted by hand above the rollers 64 so as to be retained by them in the raised position. The pawls 41 are prevented from lateral move- "ment by guides 65.

A suitable inking ribbon 49 passes over the rollers 4, 5 between rollers 50, 51 and over guide rollers 52. The rollers 50, 51 are prefthe like, the ribbon 49 is advanced in one direction or the other.

The operation of the machine will now be described for printing a cheque for 3624. 18. 10.

All the parts will be in the full line posi tion shown in Fig. 1. In order to bring the sections 0, (Z, a, f and 7', 70, Z, 977. of the rollers 4, 5 into the required positions for printing the words three thousand six hundred twenty four pounds and the figures 3624, the 3 key, the 6 key, the 2 key and the 4 key in the thousands, hundreds, tens and units columns respectively of the pounds will be depressed, thus releasing the corresponding control bars 15, which will be pulled inwards by the springs 19 until the projections u, r, o and 25 come respectively against the lower ends of the keys U, R, V and T. By this movement the racks 14, through the me dium of the corresponding members 13, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7 and 6, will have brought the sections cl, 6, f, g, and j, is, Z, m respectively into the required positions. The keys for the shillings will now be operated in order to bring sections 5 and it into the required position for printing the words eighteen shill- 'ings and the figures 18. For this purpose the 1 key in the tens column for shillings is depressed and by means of its lateral arm allows the control bars 15 for the units and tens shillings to be pulled inwards by their 1 n eat) sections 6 and 71. will now have been turned beyond the position for printing the words nine shillings and the figure 9. The 8 3 key will now be depressed and the two bars 15 will move inwards simultaneouslyuntil the projection n on the units bar will'have come against the lower end ofthe key P. The racks will now have rotated the "sections 2) and 72. into the required position.

It now only remains to set the sections a and g for printing the words ten pence and the figures 10. The 1 key in the tens column for the pence is now depressed and releases both the tens control bar and the units control bar so that these are free to be moved inwards by the springs 19 until stopped by The depressed keys are now examined in order to ascertain whether the correct keys have been depressed. Should one or more incorrect keys have been depressed then the shaft 38 would be turned in an anticlockwise direction by means of the handle 39 and release all the depressed keys by moving the plates 24 outwards against the action of the springs 25 through the medium of the numbers 45, 46, 47, 48, 59 and 60. At the same time the control bars would be returned to their normal starting position by the rod 58 pressing the arms 18 outwards. As soon as the handle 39 is released the springs 43 would move the shaft 38 and the link mechanism .ing the handle 37 from the full line position into the dotted position. Whenthe platen 33 reaches the vertical position the pawls 11 will engage with the pins 42 onthe platen 33. The platen 33 will then be moved backinto the inclined position by moving the handle 37 back into its full line position. The platen 33, during this movement, will pull the pawls '41 into the dotted position, thus turning the shaft 38 so as to operate the link mechanism connected thereto and release the keys and move the control bars back to their starting position for the next setting. Just before the i platen-33 reaches the end of its movement the pawls 41 will be disengaged from its pins 42 by the pins 53. Thesprmgs 43will now return the link mechanism to its starting (full line) position, so that the whole machine will be ready for resetting and printing another cheque. 1

Should it, however, be desired to print a number of cheques with the same amount, then after the rollers 4:, 5 have been set to the required amount, the pawls il are brought into engagement with the rollers 65. The platen 33 can now be operated so as to print any'required number of cheques without disturbing the setting of the rollers 4:, 5 or releasing the keys 16.

Although the mechanism has been described for printingcheques, it will of course be understood that the machine is also applicable for printing dividend warrants, bills, and-so forth.

It will also be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from'the scope of the invention. For ex ample,the positions of the rollers may be reversed according to the nature of the paper to be printed, and the number and position of the sections forming these rollers may be varied to suit various purposes.

' What I claim is 1. In a key-operated machine for the simultaneous printing of money values in words and figures, the combination with a pair of complementary printing rollers, of a rack, projections on said rack, gearing between the rack and the printing rollers, a spring for operating said rack, and a plurality of keys, each of said keys when depressed being adaptlimit the movement of said rack by engagement with one of the projections thereon.

2. A key-operated machine as described, comprising a frame, a plurality of printing rollers mounted in said frame, a plurality of spring controlled bars, racks on said bars, gearing between the racks and the printing rollers, said bars being normally held inoperative, projections on said bars, a plurality of depressible keys, each of said keys when depressed being adapted first to depress its corresponding rack so as to render it operative and then to engage with one of the projections thereon so'as to limit its movement, a platen pivotally mounted in said frame, and restoring mechanism operable by said platen for returning the keys and bars to their normal position.

3. The combination with a machine as claimed in claim 2 of mechanism for restoring the keys and bars independently of the platen. V 4;. The combination with a machine as claimed in claim 2 of means for-disengaging the restoring mechanism from the platen so as to permit of the operation of the platen for repeat printing.

" 5. A,key-operated machine as described, comprising a frame, a plurality of printing rollers mounted in said frame and arranged 100 ed to release the rack and then to directly in complementary pairs, a plurality of springcontrolled bars, racks on said bars, bearing between each of said racks and each pair of complementary printing rollers, a plurality of sets of keys, projections on the bars, each of said keys being adapted first to release its corresponding bar and then to limit its movement by engagement with one of the projections thereon, a plurality of spring-controlled plates, one plate being provided for each set of keys and being adapted when one key has been depressed to prevent any of the other keys in the set from being depressed, a platen pivotally mounted in said frame, a rock shaft, cranks on said rock shaft, links connectingthe cranks to the platen, a handle on said rock shaft, and restoring mechanism, said restoring mechanism being operated when the platen is moved awayfrom the printing rollers.

6. A key-operated machine as described, comprising a frame, a plurality of printing rollers, key actuated mechanism for turning said printing rollers in complementary pairs, a platen pivotally mounted in said frame, means for moving the platen towards and away from the printing rollers, a rock shaft, a plurality of arms mounted on said rock shaft, pawls connected to two of said arms, a plurality of pins on the frame and on the platen, the pins on the platen being adapted to beengaged by the pawls when the platen is moved towards the printing rollers, whilst the pins on the frame are adapted to release the pawls from the pins on the platen when the platen nears the end of its movement away from the printing rollers, and link mechanism connected to two other arms on the rock shaft, said link mechanism being adapted to effect the restoring of the keyactuated mechanism and the printing rollers to their normal position.

7. The combination with a machine as claimed in claim 6 of supports, secured to the frame, said supports being adapted to receive said pawls and to hold them out of the path of the pins on the platen.

8. In a key-operated machine as described the combination with a pair of complementary printing rollers, of a pair of slidin bars, a rack on one of said bars, gearing between said rack and said pair of printing rollers, a plurality of keys arranged in two sets, one of said sets of keys adapted to co-operate with one of said bars, whilst a key in the second set is arranged to co-operate with both bars, projections on said bars, springs attached to said bars, said springs being adapted to move said bars in one direction, said second mentioned key being adapted to release both bars simultaneously, and permit of predetermined movement of said bars by the springs,=wl1ilst the depression of one of the first set of keys first releases both bars and then limits the movement thereof.

9. In a key-operated machine as described the combination with a pair of complementary printing rollers, of a pair of longitudinally sliding bars, a rack on one of said bars, gearing between the rack and the printing rollers, projections on one of said bars, each of said bars having two notches therein, a lateral pin on one of the bars, said pin projecting into the path of one of the notches in the second bar, springs connected to said bars, a set of keys for co-operation with the first bar, said keys having their lower ends projecting int-o the path of the projections, an additional key, a lateral arm on said additional key, said arm extending over the two bars, and a stationary member for engagement with the notches in the bars.

10. A key-operated machine as described, comprising a frame, a plurality of printing rollers mounted in said frame, an inking ribbon with means for supporting and guiding same over said printing rollers, keyactuated mechanism for turning said printing rollers int-o the required position, a platen pivotally mounted in said frame, means for operating said platen, aplurality of spring-actuated plates, said springactuated plates being adapted to prevent operation of the key-actuated mechanism after it has been operated, a rock shaft, a plurality of arms on the rock shaft, pawls connected to two of said arms, said pawls being adapted for co-operation with the platen, a second rock shaft, levers on said second rock shaft, said levers engaging with said spring-actuated plates, two arms on the second rock shaft, links connecting said two arms to two of the arms on the first rock shaft, and spring means for returning the rock shafts to their initial position after the pawls are released from the platen.

11. In a machine as described the combination wit-h a plurality of complementary printing rollers of a pair of longitudinally sliding bars, racks on each of said bars, two sets of projections on one of said bars, and one set of projections on the second bar, gearing be tween the racks and the printing rollers, two sets of keys, one set of keys cooperating with one bar and the second set co-operating'with the second bar, said keys when depressed being adapted to release said bars and then to limit the movement thereon, the second set of keys including a key adapted to release both bars and enable them to move through a predetermined distance, whilst the subsequent depression of a key in the first set then releases both bars and permits of further movement until it engages with one of the second set of projections on the first bar.

12. In a machine as described the combination with a plurality of complementary printing rollers, of a pair of spring-controlled bars, gearing between one of said bars and the printing rollers, and a set of keys and an additional key, said keys being so arranged that when one of the set of keys is depressed one of the bars is released and permits the printing rollers to rotate substantially one half of a revolution, whilst when the additional key is depressed both bars are released and the printing rollers are allowed to rotate just beyond half a revolution, and when one of the first set of keys is subsequently depresesd a further partial rotation of the printing rollers in the same direction is efiecte'd.

13. In a check or like printer, a key board, a series of word printing elements, a series of figure printing elements, means for similarly and simultaneously operating corresponding printing elements of the respective series, in-

cluding a spring operated element, the keys of said key board being arranged to release said element to the influence of the spring and directly limit its movement under such spring,

and means for locking each operate-d key in position to limit'the movement of the said spring operated element.

14. A check or like printer, including printing means adjustable to vary the printing result, automatic means for adjusting the printing means, including a spring operated rack and a member directly connected to the rack, and a series of manually operable elements, each adapted to release said member to permit the racks to move under the influence of the spring, each element serving to correspondingly engage and release said member and to limit the movement of the member for a distance dilfering from the limitation of every other element.

15. A check or like printer, including printing means adjustable to vary the printing result, automatic means for adjusting the printing means, including a spring operated rack, and a member pivotally connected thereto, means for locking said member to hold the rack against movement, manually operable elements, each adapted to swing the member on its pivot to release it from the p lock to thereby permit spring operated movement of the rack, and means carried by the member to automatically engage the operatei element to limit the movement of the rac 16. A check or like printer including printing means to vary the printing result, means for adjusting the'printing means ineluding a spring-operated element, and a plurality of manually operable means adapted individually to release the spring-operated element to the influence of the spring and limit the movementof said element under the influence of the spring, each of said manually operable means acting similarly to release $0 the spring operated element and for selective 1y dilferent limitations in the movement of said element. 1

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

w I EDWARD JOHN WARD. 

